Urethritis

Causes

Most UTIs are caused by bacteria that enter the urethra and then the bladder. The infection most commonly develops in the bladder, but can spread to the kidneys. Most of the time, your body can get rid of these bacteria. However, certain conditions increase the risk of having UTIs.

Women tend to get them more often because their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus than in men. Because of this, women are more likely to get an infection after sexual activity or when using a diaphragm for birth control. Menopause also increases the risk of a UTI.

The bladder's job is to hold urine.

The correct answer is true. The kidneys produce urine, which travels to the bladder through narrow tubes called the ureters. The bladder is located in the center of the lowest part of your abdomen. It holds your urine until you urinate. Most people make about one to two quarts of urine every day.

A healthy bladder can hold how much urine at a time?

The correct answer is more than two cups. You first feel the urge to urinate when your bladder is about half full, but your bladder continues to stretch until it's full. Don't wait too long to urinate after you feel the urge.

Men are more likely to have bladder infections than women.

The correct answer is false. Women are more likely to have bladder infections. This is because women have a shorter urethra (the tube where urine leaves the body,) and it's closer to the anus. Women are more likely to get an infection after sex or during and after menopause.

A fever is the most common sign of a bladder infection.

The correct answer is false. People with a bladder infection do not have a fever. More common symptoms include cloudy or bloody urine, pain or burning when you urinate, pressure or cramps in the lower stomach or back, or feeling like you need to urinate often. Call your doctor if you think you have a bladder infection.

An untreated bladder infection can spread to the kidneys.

The correct answer is true. The symptoms of a kidney infection include a high fever, chills, back pain, and a general sick feeling. If you have any signs of a kidney infection, call your doctor right away. A kidney infection can damage the kidneys if it's not treated.

Men with a bladder infection may have another health problem.

The correct answer is true. A bladder infection in a man could be a sign that he has a problem with his urinary system or another health condition. Your doctor may refer you to a urologist for more testing.

Only people over age 60 have urinary incontinence.

The correct answer is false. Urinary incontinence occurs if you leak urine or have trouble holding your urine. It is most common in older people, but men and women of any age can have it. If you have trouble with leaking urine or not getting to the bathroom on time, see your doctor. There are many treatments that can help.

Smoking increases your risk of bladder cancer.

The correct answer is true. Smoking can increase your risk of bladder cancer by two to three times. The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. See your doctor if you have blood in your urine, even if it goes away after a few days.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is the same thing as cystitis.

The correct answer is false. Cystitis is another name for a bladder infection. IC is a painful condition caused by irritation of the bladder not due to an infection. Doctors don't know the cause, but it can feel like a bladder infection. Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of a bladder infection that don't get better with treatment.

Women are more likely to have IC than men.

The correct answer is true. Women are 10 times more likely to have IC than men. It's most common in women ages 30 to 40, but younger women can have it too. See your doctor if you have pelvic pain, pain while urinating, or pain during intercourse.

At the hospital, you will receive fluids and antibiotics through a vein.

Some people have UTIs that do not go away with treatment or keep coming back. These are called chronic UTIs. If you have a chronic UTI, you may need stronger antibiotics or to take medicine for a longer time.

You may need surgery if the infection is caused by a problem with the structure of the urinary tract.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most UTIs can be cured. Bladder infection symptoms most often go away within 24 to 48 hours after treatment begins. If you have a kidney infection, it may take 1 week or longer for symptoms to go away.

Possible Complications

Complications may include:

Life-threatening blood infection (sepsis) -- The risk is greater among the young, very old adults, and people whose bodies cannot fight infections (for example, due to HIV or cancer chemotherapy).

Sepsis

Sepsis is an illness in which the body has a severe, inflammatory response to bacteria or other germs.

Urinary tract infection - adults

Animation

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Urinary tract infection - adults - Animation

Using the bathroom is usually a no-brainer. You go, you flush, you wash. But sometimes, you can have a condition that makes it painful or difficult to go. If you're feeling pain or burning when you urinate, or you feel like you need to go all the time, the problem could be a urinary tract infection.
Most often, you get a urinary tract infections when bacteria make their way into your bladder, kidneys, ureters, those tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, or the urethra, the tube that carries urine to the outside of your body.
Unfortunately for women, they're more likely to get a urinary tract infection than men because they have a much shorter urethra. Bacteria can more easily slip into a woman's body after they have sex or use the bathroom. Certain conditions can also increase your risk of a urinary tract infection, including diabetes, pregnancy, kidney stones, an enlarged prostate in men, as well as urinary tract surgery.
You can often tell you may have a urinary tract infection by the pain and burning whenever you urinate, and the constant urge to go. Your urine may look cloudy or bloody, and it might give off a bad smell. Your doctor can diagnose an infection by taking a urine sample and checking for bacteria. Occasionally different scans, including a CT and kidney scan, may be done to rule out other urinary problems.
If you do have a urinary tract infection, you'll probably be prescribed antibiotics, drugs that kill bacteria. Also drink a lot of water and other fluids to help flush out the bacteria.
Usually, antibiotics can knock out a urinary tract infection in a day or two. But like the unwelcome visitors they are, sometimes these infections keep coming back. You may need to keep taking antibiotics for a longer period of time.
There are ways to help prevent getting urinary tract infections, like drinking a lot of fluids, perhaps including cranberry juice. Probiotics, beneficial bacteria may also help prevent urinary tract infections. Women should be careful about their hygiene. Always wipe from front to back after using the bathroom, urinate before and after sexual activity, and keep your genital area clean. If you use a diaphragm with spermicide, consider changing contraceptives. For post menopausal women, topical estrogen greatly reduces urinary tract infections.
Recurrent, uncomplicated urinary tract infections are very common in non pregnant, healthy young women. Thankfully, they are easy to treat and are unlikely to lead to other health problems.

Bladder catheterization, female - illustration

A catheter (a hollow tube, often with an inflatable balloon tip) may be inserted into the urinary bladder when there is a urinary obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, or other reasons), or for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty (decompressed) and urinary flow assured. The balloon holds the catheter in place for a duration of time.

Bladder catheterization, female

illustration

Bladder catheterization, male - illustration

Catheterization is accomplished by inserting a catheter (a hollow tube, often with and inflatable balloon tip) into the urinary bladder. This procedure is performed for urinary obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, or other reasons), or for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty (decompressed) and urinary flow assured. The balloon holds the catheter in place for a duration of time. Catheterization in males is slightly more difficult and uncomfortable than in females because of the longer urethra.

Bladder catheterization, male

illustration

Female urinary tract - illustration

The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.

Female urinary tract

illustration

Male urinary tract - illustration

The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.

Male urinary tract

illustration

Prevention of cystitis - illustration

Appropriate hygiene and cleanliness of the genital area may help reduce the chances of introducing bacteria through the urethra. Females are especially vulnerable to this, because the urethra is in close proximity to the rectum. The genitals should be cleaned and wiped from front to back to reduce the chance of dragging E. coli bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.

Prevention of cystitis

illustration

Urinary tract infection - adults

Animation

Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers

Urinary tract infection - adults - Animation

Using the bathroom is usually a no-brainer. You go, you flush, you wash. But sometimes, you can have a condition that makes it painful or difficult to go. If you're feeling pain or burning when you urinate, or you feel like you need to go all the time, the problem could be a urinary tract infection.
Most often, you get a urinary tract infections when bacteria make their way into your bladder, kidneys, ureters, those tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, or the urethra, the tube that carries urine to the outside of your body.
Unfortunately for women, they're more likely to get a urinary tract infection than men because they have a much shorter urethra. Bacteria can more easily slip into a woman's body after they have sex or use the bathroom. Certain conditions can also increase your risk of a urinary tract infection, including diabetes, pregnancy, kidney stones, an enlarged prostate in men, as well as urinary tract surgery.
You can often tell you may have a urinary tract infection by the pain and burning whenever you urinate, and the constant urge to go. Your urine may look cloudy or bloody, and it might give off a bad smell. Your doctor can diagnose an infection by taking a urine sample and checking for bacteria. Occasionally different scans, including a CT and kidney scan, may be done to rule out other urinary problems.
If you do have a urinary tract infection, you'll probably be prescribed antibiotics, drugs that kill bacteria. Also drink a lot of water and other fluids to help flush out the bacteria.
Usually, antibiotics can knock out a urinary tract infection in a day or two. But like the unwelcome visitors they are, sometimes these infections keep coming back. You may need to keep taking antibiotics for a longer period of time.
There are ways to help prevent getting urinary tract infections, like drinking a lot of fluids, perhaps including cranberry juice. Probiotics, beneficial bacteria may also help prevent urinary tract infections. Women should be careful about their hygiene. Always wipe from front to back after using the bathroom, urinate before and after sexual activity, and keep your genital area clean. If you use a diaphragm with spermicide, consider changing contraceptives. For post menopausal women, topical estrogen greatly reduces urinary tract infections.
Recurrent, uncomplicated urinary tract infections are very common in non pregnant, healthy young women. Thankfully, they are easy to treat and are unlikely to lead to other health problems.

Bladder catheterization, female - illustration

A catheter (a hollow tube, often with an inflatable balloon tip) may be inserted into the urinary bladder when there is a urinary obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, or other reasons), or for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty (decompressed) and urinary flow assured. The balloon holds the catheter in place for a duration of time.

Bladder catheterization, female

illustration

Bladder catheterization, male - illustration

Catheterization is accomplished by inserting a catheter (a hollow tube, often with and inflatable balloon tip) into the urinary bladder. This procedure is performed for urinary obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, or other reasons), or for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty (decompressed) and urinary flow assured. The balloon holds the catheter in place for a duration of time. Catheterization in males is slightly more difficult and uncomfortable than in females because of the longer urethra.

Bladder catheterization, male

illustration

Female urinary tract - illustration

The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.

Female urinary tract

illustration

Male urinary tract - illustration

The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.

Male urinary tract

illustration

Prevention of cystitis - illustration

Appropriate hygiene and cleanliness of the genital area may help reduce the chances of introducing bacteria through the urethra. Females are especially vulnerable to this, because the urethra is in close proximity to the rectum. The genitals should be cleaned and wiped from front to back to reduce the chance of dragging E. coli bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.